Reminiscing
by Bridgy
Summary: Aly, also known as Aly-Cat, has taken a likeing to the Newsie known as Romeo, but when she sees him flirting with another girl in the streets she gets an unusual feeling. What's a girl to do? Run away, that's what! But is running from her feelings really the answer? Read to find out!


Reminiscening. A one-shot.

As some of you may know, my name is Aly. I'm from Manhattan and this is my story of an amazing young man named Romeo. It's pethetic, really, chasing after a man who has no idea that you have any "special" feelings for him. It leaves an empty spot in my heart knowing that I may never get the chance to tell him how I trully feel about him. And if I do? Well, what then? Will he play with my feelings? I have no idea. But, as I stand here behind a cake shop, looking at him flirt with another girl, it pains me. I wish I could go right up there and tell that stupid girl o get away! Am I jelous? I may be...I just don't like seeing him with other girls that know NOTHING about him. It's so stupid! I know what you're probably thinking: GO UP THERE ANS TELL HIM RIGHT NOW. Easier said then done. It's times like these I hate myself; I am such a coward when it comes to confronting people.  
"What you's up to, Aly Cat?" I jumped a little and saw my brother, Jack Kelly. People like to call him CowBoy.  
"Oh...hey."  
He bent down a little and narrowed his eyes. "Who ya spyin' on?" he looked passed me.  
I blushed and waved my hands in front of him. "Eh! Eh! Why ya's thinkin' that?" I half joked, sliding in front of him more.  
He stood up straight now, one brow raised. "You's spyin' on, Romeo again?"  
I got all flustered and my face probablly went red because he laughed. "Shut up!" I said between closed teeth.  
My brother raised his hands in defence. "I said nothin'. Whatever." he said.  
I called down a bit and pointed a finger at him, playfully poking him in the chest. "Don' you got some papes to sell?" I asked him.

he smiled a bit. "Finished early." he told him. "Be seein' ya. Gonna meet Race at the tracks."  
"Have fun loosing!" I called out to him as he started walking away. All he did was wave, his back to me.

I huffed and started waling away, taking one last look at Romeo; he was still flirting with that girl and I grumbled. _It don't mean nothing. _I told myself. _He does that with EVERY girl._ I was never one to fall for a guy like Romeo but, somthing about him was so...captivating. The way he parted his hair, his eyes always looking so stunning and the touch of his rough hands bringing shivers up and down my spine like a scaredy-cat.  
I scuffed the tips of my brown shoes as I kicked a rock back into an alley, stuffing my hands in my pocket. I started remembering all the times I had spent with Romeo and I found myself smiling a bit. Thinking of him was becoming a popular pass time for me these days. _I'm so stupid for liking him! _I yelled at myself. I knew what I was doing wasn't right. The best thing for me to do about this was to just tell him but, then again, I am scared he might not see me in that way. Not even I can see myself with him. He's funny, good looking, street-smart, stronge, good at making money. Why on earth would he want or even like a little girl like me? Would I choose me if I were him? It just seemed like a total loss. In fact, I felt like I wasn't worth it.

In all honesty, I needed to do something to get my mind off him. He was driving me crazy and in the best way! But, I knew it wasn't right to keep at this and decided to go play a game of marbles with a few street kids. As I was walked, my hands still in my pocket and looking down at my feet and ocationally looking up to see where I was going I stopped and there a few yards away from me was Romeo. He stood there, his arms crossed and talking to another newsie boy, laughing. God! He was damn good looking. I felt my heart sink to my stomach and my eyes went wide. I swear I was holding my breath until he turned and saw me staring him. I adverted my attention towards something else, pretending I didn't see him and started walking in the opposit direction. Oh God...That was a bad idea and it was even worse to looke back because I saw him following me. "Oh shit!" I cursed underneath my breath and started walking even faster. Wait. Why was I running? This was not like me. We had talked countless times before. Why was I acting up now? I just screwed myself up. Now he knew something was up.

I walked passed the busy crowd of people in the streets, dodging carts and baskets being carried full of fish or bread and sometimes even fruit. I looked back and saw him still pursuing after me. I let out a little nervous squeal and felt my feet moving fast; I was almost runnign now.

He knew that I knew he was following me and kept at it. If I get caught I knew I would have to explain myself and saying, "Oh, I didn't see you there." would not fly with him at all. I went as far as jumping over boxes to get away from him. I didn't know what was wrong with me, I just couldn't confront him, not right now. I jumped over another box and passed some older woman who I ran inbetween, making them scoff at me but, I didn't care.  
"Aly!" I heard him call out to me finally and I stopped for stupid reason and looked back at him. I made a face as in, 'oh hai! I didn't see ya there!' and waved like an idoit and then continued to run. It was like I wanted to be caught but, I didn't. Truth was I really wanted to get away from him. What if he saw me looking at him flirting with that one girl. What if he was upset about that? _NAH! _I thought. As I was lost in my thoughts I didn't see the wooden pole coming my way being carried by two older men. I knocked my head right in the middle and stumbled back a few paces and fell flat on my bum with a lout _OOF_! sound. I laid on my back, my head spining and see blurry people surrounding me. And then...nothing.

I woke up sometime after with a terrible headache. I couldn't make myself get up even if I wanted to, least not this soon.  
"Ya finally awake?"

I closed my eyes and groaned. I knew who it was and felt like a retard. "Hi, Romeo." I said in mono tone.  
I heard him laugh. "That was quite the bang. How ya feelin'?" he asked. I heard him scoot closer towards me.  
I opened my eyes again, the bluryness going away and the headache and I realised we were in the lodging house he stayed at. I didn't get up. "...Bad." I told him.  
"Which part?" he asked again. This was no time to be asking questions but, I guess he felt it was the perfect time to do so. "Your head or where you kept runnin' 'way from me?"  
I groaned again. "Did I really do that?" I asked stupidly.  
He itched his nose and sniffed. "Eeeeyup!"  
"...Sorry." I managed to mustard that out. I felt like too much of an ass to say anything else to him.  
"Can you sit up? I'd like to talk to you face-to-face."  
I moaned as I sat up and turned to look at him, his perfect face looking at me but, something else in his eyes looked different. "Cowboy told me everythin'."  
I swallowed hard. "...I'll kill 'em." I said quietly.  
Romeo laughed. "Ah what ya's go an' do that for? You should be thankin' him."  
"Why?" I asked.

He placed a warm hand on my shoulder and looked me dead in the eye. "Why didn't ya just tell me?"  
"Tell you what?" I continued to play stupid.  
He sighed and smiled. He slipped parts of my hair back behind my left ear with his fingers. "Aly, Aly, Aly...My Aly Cat." he said, his voice low.  
My heart started to thump fast as he inched closer to my face. "...Yes?"  
"Ya such a silly goil..." And then he kissed me! I was in shock and just let him take over my lips, moving them as he moved his, tasting his lips as he did mine. He then backed off and I opened my eyes, seeing him slowly open his and grin at me. "Why didn't you tell me?"  
"I was scared." I told him honestly.  
He scruffed up my hair. "But you should know that I like you anyhow."  
"You flirt with so many other girls though." I said to him.  
He shook head. He knew that much was true. "I'm an idiot for that too." he confessed. "I should have known about you and me a long time ago. You's always been there for me. Rain or shine." he kissed me again, rubbing my cheek with his thumb. "That's all going to stop now." he told me inbetween kisses. "Just you and me now, got that?"  
"Mmhmm." I smiled and he smiled back, still kissing me. I wrapped my arms around him fast and he fell on his back, laughing. Yup...I could get use to this.


End file.
